Shoulder tree



Patented July 18, 1944 E' UNITED STATES PATENTv O`I1`l*`lCl'1`.v4

t). 2,353,839 snommmm L.

-William W. McFall, Mankato,` Minn.

Application October 1, 1941, Serial No. 413,105 I 5 claims; lotus-9s) Myinvention is an article to be imposed upon a garment hanger forretaining the shape of the shoulders of a garment,y and the garment.

In hanging a garment n the common form of a garment hanger the inclinedportions of the hanger have a tendency to produce a denite line ofdemarcation by reason of the wire of the inclined portions ofthe hanger.When certain types of garments are hung on a hanger for a more or lessprotracted period there is a tendency to misshape the shoulders from theneck down to the arms. My device retains the shape of the garment, andmaintains its depending integrity against any formation by reason of thehanger itself.

The drawing attached illustrates a form of my device in which Fig. 1 isa full assembly of the device upon a wire hanger.

Fig. 2 is a flat view along the arrow lines 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a primary form made of certain types of material prior to itsbeing shaped as in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of one side of the device as shown on arrowlines 4 4 of Fig. -1.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the central part of the device along theline of the arrows 5 5 of Fig. 1.

vAs illustrated:

IB is intended to indicate the general assemblage as a whole, wherein IIand I2 are identical arm extensions from a central body portion composedof two parallel portions I3 and I3'. I4 and I4 are serrated incisionsformed in I3 and I3' respectively and adapted to register with eachother when the device is dropped into its nal l position. These serratedincisions are provided to be pressed open and garment accessoriespressed thru and locked therein against accidental removal. The deviceas a whole may be cut from a single elongated strip of fabric, cast outof a plastic, or shaped out of a material such as acetate, Celluloid orsimilar material.

The basic form of the member has a horizontal slot I6 in a medialportion of the basic member, adapted to be dropped upon portions 3| of ahanger after the device is shaped for nal installation. At either end ofthe slot I6 the basic member has angles I1, I8, I9 and 20 created byscorings 2l, 22, 23, and 24 with transverse scorings 25 and 26. Whenmade of fabric, after the scorings are completed the device is passedthrough a means of shaping it arcuately in transverse cross-section asshown in Fig. 4; after which 55 the central portions I3 and I3'arepressed together until they are parallel as-,shown-in Fig.i5' whencethe scorings permit the angles I'l I8, I9 and 2U to be thrown intopositions shown inv Figs. land l2 so that the shoulder guards eitherside from the medial portion are normally thrown into position extendingoppositelyr downl the inclines of the hanger. 30,3I and 32aremembersA ofa preferred type of wire bange?, this preferred type has a three-sidedform below the hanger hook adapted to shape the shoulders of a garment,and to provide means to handle a quantity of garments at one time.

1. An article of manufacture comprising a shoulder tree for impositionupon a garment hanger, consisting of a medial portion and a wingextension on either side thereof, the medial portion including a pair ofparallel vertical walls spaced apart, the wing extensions being curvedin transverse section with their sides inclined obliquely with respectto the vertical walls, and approximately triangular portions uniting thevertical walls and the sides of the wing extensions.

2. A shoulder shaping device for application to a garment hanger of thetype having a suspension portion and thin edged downwardly slopingshoulder portions, said device comprising a one-piece strip of stiisheet material having transversely curved downwardly sloping endportions which are adapted to rest along their center lines upon theshoulder portions of the hanger in downwardly cupped relation to thelatter, said strip extending horizontally between said end Vportions andhaving its sides folded down abruptly toward each other to rigidify thestrip and at the same time leave a narrow downwardly opening channel forthe reception of the suspension portion of the hanger in close fittingassociation with the latter, said folded down portion being providedwith a slot along the line of the fold through which the suspensionportion of the hanger is adapted to project upwardly.

3. A shoulder shaping device for application to a garment hanger of thetype having a suspension portion and thin edged downwardly slopingshoulder portions, said device comprising a onepiece strip of stil sheetmaterial having transversely curved downwardly sloping end portionswhich are adapted to rest along their center lines upon the shoulderportions of the hanger in downwardly cupped relation to the latter, saidstrip extending horizontally between said end portions and having itssides folded down abruptly toward each other to rigidify the strip andat the same time leave a narrow downwardly opening channel for thereception of the suspension portion of the hanger in close fittingassociation with the latter, said folded down portion being providedwith a slot along the line of the fold through which the suspensionportion of the hanger is adapted to project upwardly, the sides of thefolded down portion being integrally connected with therelativelyoutstanding sides of the transversely curved end portions by interposedgusset portions which are disposed angularly with respect to both ofsaid sides.

through which a part of the suspension portion of the hanger is adaptedto project upwardly.

5. A shoulder tree for application to a garment hanger of the thin attype having a suspension portion and oppositely extending shoulderportions, said shoulder tree comprising a hollow downwardly openingshell of the same general shape as the hanger, into which shell thehanger is adapted to be inserted from the bottom, said shell havingtransversely curved shoulder portions which are considerably wider thanthe shoulder portions of the hanger and are "adapted to rest along theirundersides on the 4. A shoulder tree for application to a garment uhanger of the thin at type having a suspension portion and oppositelyextending shoulder portions, said shoulder tree comprising a strip ofstiff sheet material having a horizontal center portion and oppositelyinclined end portions, the

shoulder portions of the hanger in substantially Vcentered relation tothe latter, the portion'of the -portions having its sides bent abruptlydownward to closely embrace the suspension portion ofthe hanger andbeing provided at the location of the bend with an opening through whichthe top of the suspension portion of the hanger is adapted to project,the curved sides of the shoulder portions of the shell and the abruptlybent sides of the center portion of the shell being integrally connectedby interposed gussetportions which are disposed angularly with respectto both of said sides. f

Y WILLIAM W. McFALL.

